How to Avoid Being Carjacked
Keep your car tuned up and full of gas., Lock your car doors and keep the windows up., Don’t leave valuables in sight inside your car., Know your neighbors., Keep the driveway well-lit and unobstructed., Keep your car in a locked garage., Be careful...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Keep your car tuned up and full of gas.
"E" does not stand for “Enough to get me where I need to go.” Keep your car full of gas and in good working condition.
If your car is not tuned up and breaks down, it can make you a sitting duck for carjackers.Check your tires once a month and before you take a trip.
Look for wear, damage, or low air. -
Step 2: Lock your car doors and keep the windows up.
This applies whether you are in your car or not.
Make it part of your driving ritual to lock your doors as soon as you get into the car, and as soon as you get out., If you must keep personal property such as a purse or shopping bags in the vehicle, put them in the trunk where they can’t be seen.
Never leave money in view inside your car, even if it’s just spare change.While driving, put valuable items on the floor rather than on the seats.
They will be less visible in case you need to stop and for some reason can’t put them in the trunk. , Knowing your neighbors will help you recognize if there is a suspicious vehicle or individual around.If you see an unfamiliar person loitering or a strange vehicle repeatedly cruising in the neighborhood, this is considered a “suspicious activity.” Don’t go home.
Report the activity to local police and drive around the block; come back to your driveway when that person has left.Reporting suspicious activity and unusual events or incidents to the authorities can reduce crime and make your community safer. , Make sure that your driveway and garage have lighting.
Don’t keep shrubs or other heavy foliage around your driveway.Keep your driveway lit with traditional ground lighting, solar lighting, hanging lights, or LED lighting along the length of your driveway.If you live in an area with foggy nights, choose lighting that can be seen without decreasing visibility in fog.
Ground lights should be at least a foot apart and staggered somewhat. , If possible, keep your car parked in your garage and lock the garage door.Having an automatic garage door closed does not necessarily make it thief-proof.
Carjackers “fish” garage doors with wire hooks to activate the release mechanisms of automatic garage doors.Block access to the release mechanism inside your garage by making a shield with a piece of plywood fastened to a wood cleat with two brad nails.
You can also lock the release mechanism with a twist-tie.
You can use a t-handle or slide lock on your garage door as an extra safety measure.
A t-handle lock uses its own key and a slide lock can be used with a padlock., If you need to warm up your car in the wintertime, have a second set of keys so that you can keep the car locked while it’s idling.
Carjackers use unlocked, running cars as opportunities to steal vehicles. -
Step 3: Don’t leave valuables in sight inside your car.
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Step 4: Know your neighbors.
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Step 5: Keep the driveway well-lit and unobstructed.
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Step 6: Keep your car in a locked garage.
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Step 7: Be careful when warming up your car in cold weather.
Detailed Guide
"E" does not stand for “Enough to get me where I need to go.” Keep your car full of gas and in good working condition.
If your car is not tuned up and breaks down, it can make you a sitting duck for carjackers.Check your tires once a month and before you take a trip.
Look for wear, damage, or low air.
This applies whether you are in your car or not.
Make it part of your driving ritual to lock your doors as soon as you get into the car, and as soon as you get out., If you must keep personal property such as a purse or shopping bags in the vehicle, put them in the trunk where they can’t be seen.
Never leave money in view inside your car, even if it’s just spare change.While driving, put valuable items on the floor rather than on the seats.
They will be less visible in case you need to stop and for some reason can’t put them in the trunk. , Knowing your neighbors will help you recognize if there is a suspicious vehicle or individual around.If you see an unfamiliar person loitering or a strange vehicle repeatedly cruising in the neighborhood, this is considered a “suspicious activity.” Don’t go home.
Report the activity to local police and drive around the block; come back to your driveway when that person has left.Reporting suspicious activity and unusual events or incidents to the authorities can reduce crime and make your community safer. , Make sure that your driveway and garage have lighting.
Don’t keep shrubs or other heavy foliage around your driveway.Keep your driveway lit with traditional ground lighting, solar lighting, hanging lights, or LED lighting along the length of your driveway.If you live in an area with foggy nights, choose lighting that can be seen without decreasing visibility in fog.
Ground lights should be at least a foot apart and staggered somewhat. , If possible, keep your car parked in your garage and lock the garage door.Having an automatic garage door closed does not necessarily make it thief-proof.
Carjackers “fish” garage doors with wire hooks to activate the release mechanisms of automatic garage doors.Block access to the release mechanism inside your garage by making a shield with a piece of plywood fastened to a wood cleat with two brad nails.
You can also lock the release mechanism with a twist-tie.
You can use a t-handle or slide lock on your garage door as an extra safety measure.
A t-handle lock uses its own key and a slide lock can be used with a padlock., If you need to warm up your car in the wintertime, have a second set of keys so that you can keep the car locked while it’s idling.
Carjackers use unlocked, running cars as opportunities to steal vehicles.
About the Author
Aaron Hamilton
Writer and educator with a focus on practical creative arts knowledge.
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